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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · ruler · spring · row · stick · rush · capital · season

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spring — of water
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bulb — for light
  8. row — a line
  9. capital — a city
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. capital — money
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. row — to paddle
  17. spring — the season
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. spring — a coil
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com